updated 07:22 am EDT, Mon April 22, 2013

Facebook Home gets users interested, but still scoring poor ratings

Facebook Home has notched up over 500,000 downloads in its first nine days on the Google Play store. The app is currently only available on a limited number of handsets including the Galaxy S III, Galaxy Note 2, HTC One X, HTC One X+ and the new HTC First. It is also only compatible with specified devices that also support Android 4.0 'Ice Cream Sandwich' or higher, leaving most Android users unable to install it.

The number of users downloading the Facebook Home application is still impressive, especially given its relative lack of compatibility with the broad array of Android devices on the market, which often run older outdated versions of Android. However, it is unclear exactly how many users then go on to uninstall the app after trying it. An indication perhaps, is that the vast majority of user ratings to date also give the app 1 star; at the time of writing of the 10,301 users who have rated the app, 5,840 have given it the lowest rating possible.

Facebook Home is a social networking app launcher that replaces the standard launcher on compatible devices, however, it can be easily removed if users don't like it. Even users of the HTC First, which was launched alongside the new Facebook app, can also uninstall the Home functionality if they don't like it. The app features Cover Feed, which directly connects users to their Facebook account putting a live Facebook experience front and center on their compatible smartphone.